Unfair Debt from Gold's Gym

A question about : Unfair Debt from Gold's Gym

Dear Forum,

Back in 2010 I signed a one year contract with Golds Gym in Hounslow. After the years contract had expired and my payments were complete and up to date I phoned Golds Gym announcing my attention to cancel membership as I was not longer active in that area of London. In response I was advised to email my intention to cancel my membership in compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract.

In accordance with the verbal instructions I received I sent an email into Golds Gym and a couple of months later cancelled my Direct Debit. Since 2011 I have heard nothing from the Gym and assumed everything was settled in a satisfactory manner. Today 21 April 2012 I receive a letter totally out of the blue from Credit Resolution Services stating that I owe Ј367.20 which includes a collection fee of Ј97.20 for the debt collector.

Having heard nothing from Golds Gym, any Court service or the Credit Resolution Services prior to this date I feel that the steep charge is unfair, especially having followed their instructions. Unfortunately the email account I sent the email from was phished last year which means it is not possible for me to produce the email in question. I will contact the credit resolution service company tomorrow but having looked through the internet I am not the only consumer to have been treated in this way.

Obviously I dont want to have any debt and pay my bills as required but it seems unfair to pay what is in effect an unfair debt arising from a questionable charge which could have been avoided if they had made effort to contact me to explain there was a problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best answers:

• I feel for you. I recently cancelled my gym membership with Gold's Gym, Harrow (or at least I thought). I left the required amount of time with a hand posted letter of notice, my last direct debit to be May 2012. Last week, I received a letter from them stating they were unable to receive my monthly membership fee, and I was now in arrears to the tune of Ј55 pounds, Ј45 for the membership, plus Ј10 penalty fee for the failure of the direct debit, which makes me FURIOUS when this is not my responsibility. I held up my side of the bargain. I contacted them, to which they stated they did not have the letter, and asked if I had a copy (I do) and could I scan it and email it. This makes me very wary, as my understanding was that they do not accept email cancellations, so how will the emailed scan be accepted? This is why I intend to HAND deliver it, and ask for a signature of receipt. IMO - and from what I have read on the net about this company - our cases are not isolated incidents, and they have a history of claiming, or trying to connive money via membership Ts and C's from members wishing to leave. What makes it worse in my case is that the membership was a gift from my parents, so the direct debit is/was coming from my Dad's account, so i am furious for the hassle this is causing them, and that they are being held to pay money which they SHOULD NOT be responsible for. My own theory is in my case is that the Harrow gym are especially keen to keep monies coming in, as every time I have been there, the place is a total morgue, and appears devoid of many members at all!!! No wonder when a matter of months ago they had dirty, in-disrepair changing rooms with privacy doors hanging off. I hope you were able to resolve your situation.
• Exactly the same thing has just happened to me. I have just received a letter completely out of the blue informing me that I owe Ј45 (presumably my monthly fee plus Ј10 for the failed direct debit) plus a Ј123 charge from Credit Resolution Services (for what, exactly?!).
  I joined Gold's Gym in Harrow in February 2011, with the contract due to end on 3rd February 2012. On 4th January I hand-delivered a letter confirming that I wished to terminate my contract after the 12th monthly payment (3rd January). This was exactly in line with their terms and conditions, which I had confirmed with the manager beforehand. I also filled in a cancellation form on the spot.
  Frustratingly, I can't find my copy of the cancellation form, and the credit agency has given me a whole 6 days to settle the debt. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour by this company if this is common practice.
  Any and all advice would be more than welcome.